Non-invasive Assessment of Interleukin 6 and its Clinico-pathologic correlation in patients with Oral Squamous cell carcinoma.

ABSTRACT

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pro inflammatory cytokine that promotes inflammation, development and progression of cancer. Quantitative assessment of IL6 in saliva will help in the early diagnosis of oral cancer. Whole saliva as an alternative laboratory tool to blood comprises a non-invasive, easy, rapid to collect, easy to handle and cost-effective sample convenient both for patient and the health personnel during screening of larger population. Hence the study aimed to estimate the concentration of salivary IL6 and clinically correlate these levels in patients with oral Squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: A total of 72 subjects aged between 31-60 yrs were included in the study. Group I Thirty six histological proven cases of oral Squamous cell carcinoma. Group 2 Thirty-six healthy controls. Unstimulated whole saliva sample was collected and the samples were analysed for interleukin-6 using ELISA kits. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 22. Results: The study showed a statistically significant elevation ofinterleukin-6 in saliva of patients with oral cancer 214.29�.64 pg/mL as compared to the healthy control group 17.11�83 pg/mL with a p value of 0.001. The Salivary IL6 levels did not show any correlation with gender of patients both in OSCC and control subjects. The median Salivary IL6 levels were significantly higher in stage (I-II) compared to stage(III -IV). Conclusion: Estimation of IL6 in saliva can be considered as a non invasive alternative laboratory tool to blood for oral cancer for screening among high risk subjects.